Durham Catholic teachers sign deal

Peterborough This Week

Both full-time and occasional members of the Ontario Elementary Catholic Teachers’ Federation have signed tentative collective agreements with the Durham Catholic District School Board.
The agreements, signed in late December, cover more than 800 elementary teachers and more than 300 occasional teachers across the board over a two-year period from Sept. 1, 2012 to Aug. 31, 2014.
While Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Education in the summer, local boards and divisions had to sign their own collective agreements. Both ratified contracts now must be approved by the minister to ensure they’re in compliance with Bill 115, the Putting Students First Act, which includes a number of stipulations to be included in the contracts.
Board and union representatives said contract negotiations were amicable.
“With limited opportunity afforded to bargain local issues, we were able to reach agreement on minor improvements in the form of letters of intent and understanding as well as some housekeeping matters,” said Dan Gryzwacz, president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association Durham Elementary Unit.
“The agreed-to items, the current terms in the collective agreement and the memorandum of understanding, will form the basis of our teachers’ working conditions over the next two years.”
Karen Valentine, chair of the board, said she’s pleased that all parties have reached agreements “which we feel are fair and consistent with Bill 115.”